Toy performer



VP. LAZZARI May 2.6, 1 931.

'l'bY' PERPOHIER' Filed April 24. 1928 IN VEN TOR..

I A TTORNEYS.

than heretofore the action of Patented May 26, 1931 UNITE TATE FFEQEPETER LAZZAB I, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA TOY PERFORMER Applicationfiled April 2-1,

The present invention relates to a new and improved toy. In particularthe invention has for its object the production of a toy juggler whichsimulates more accurately a juggler of aball or other object.

Heretoforetoys of this nature in which a figure of a person throws aball or other object from hand to hand were not truly representative ofthe action which takes place and therefore not completely satisfying tothe mind of the child user, nor to the esthetic sense of the child useror buyer. As a result toys of this nature have not been in extensiveuse. The devices of the prior art have the defect of not causing theaction to take place in a natural and expected way, because of the factthat the ball or other object moved from one hand to another of thejuggler or figure in a plane which is not the plane in which one wouldnormally eX- pect the ball or other object to move. In the devices ofthe prior art, the ball or other object moves in a plane containing thehead or body of the figure and hence the ball or object usually passesin its motion from one hand to another directly above the head of thefigure. Such operation, as will be readily observed, results in theunnatural action referred to above.

The device of the present invention causes the ball or other object ofthe juggler or object manipulator to pass from hand to handin a planemore or less in front of the head and face of the figure represented,thereby simulating the action of a juggler in a highly pleasing andattractive manner and possessing the advantages enumerated.

A further advantage of the present invention is that the support for theball or other object which is moved from one hand of the figure to theother is supported by a rod decorated more or less in a manner similarto the body of the figure so that as the rod moves across the figure incarrying the ball the rod will tend to disappear, producing therefore amore perfect illusion.

Figure 1 of the drawings accompanying this application, and forming partthereof, shows a front view of the toy; Figure 2 1928. Serial No.272,510.

shows a cross sect-ion through the base of the toy on the line 11-11 ofFigure 1 looking in the directon of the arrows and illustrates a form ofdriving mechanism which may be used; Figure 3 shows a detail of part ofthe driving mechanism IIIIIT of Figure 2 rection of the arrows.

The numeral 1 represents any figure such as a clown or other performer.The arms 2, 2 of the performer or figure are outstretched and the elbowsso bent that the palms of the hands 3, 3 extend considerably in front ofthe plane of the face of the figure. By this arrangement the ball orother object may move from hand to hand in a plane in front of the faceof the performer 1.

The ball 4 is supported by means of a rod 5, pivoted on a rod 6. The rod5 is provided with an enlarged portion Tat its lower end and thisenlarged portion is provided with a slot 8.

Suitable spring driving means indicated generally by the numeral 9 maybe of any approved and known construction. This driving means comprisesintermeshing gear wheels 10 and 11. The gear 11 is fixed on the shaft 12which also carries the overnor 13. Also fixed to the shaft 12 androtating therewith is a disc 14 provided with a pin 15. As the disc 1-1is rotated under the influence of the driving mechanism, the pin 15moves back and forth in the slot 8 in the enlarged portion 7 of the rod5. This causes the rod 5 to swing as a pendulum about its pivotalsupport 6. The ball or other body 4 attached to the end of the rod 5moves in an are between the hands 3, 3. The arms 2, 2 and the pivotalsupport 6 must be so positioned that the amplitude of the motion of theball represents a complete are extending from one hand to the other.

The rod 5 is colored with spots correspond ing more or less with thespots on the body of the clown, so that the motion and presence of therod appears to disappear from perception, especially when the ball 4 isof a bright affording a sharp conand looking in the diand distinctivecolor trast.

viewed along the line Having described my invention What I claim is:

A toy comprising in combination the representation of a figure of ananimal having two stationary outstretched arms extending before it, arod pivoted at a distance below said outstretched arms and near the baseof said figure and adapted to oscillate before said figure and at oneend of its path of oscillation approaching the end of one of saidoutstretched arms and at the other end of its path of oscillationapproaching the end of the other of said outstretched arms, a bodyattached to said rod and so positioned on it that oscillation of the rodabout its pivot causes said body to move from the position of oneoutstretched arm to} the other, and

means carried by said toy operableto store energy for oscillating saidrod and means for bringing about the oscillation of saidrod by saidstored energy.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

7 PETER LAZZARI.

